You're all that matters to me
by ChuckluvsBlairBass
Summary: AU post 4x09 - Blair doesn't have to chose in between happiness and success. Because if two people are meant to be together, they'll find their way back. CHAIR!
1. It always comes back to you

A/N this is going to be a one-shot, I'll consider turning into a multi chapter. I've always hated how the writers killed Chuck and Blair in 4.09. This takes place after Blair leaves chuck.

When Blair returned to her penthouse after the Saints and Sinners party that night, she knew something was wrong. She thought she'd feel a surge of relief after making her decision. Giving herself time to become the powerful woman she so desperately wanted to become was a wise decision, and she knew it.

She also knew how painful it was living without Chuck in her life. She loved him so much it hurt, and she wanted a future with Chuck, she really did. She kept thinking about the fact that this whole concept of "doing the right thing" felt so wrong, but was it supposed to?

Deep down, she knew. She could have it all. She had been influential most of her life. She had always been queen. From kindergarten and through high school where she practiced her dictatorship without batting an eyelash. She also knew how hard it had been in NYU, how alone she had felt when the most friendly people she was around were her minions, or worse Dan Humphrey. At that thought, Blair shuddered in disgust. Without Chuck supporting her through most of that hardship, she wondered how she would have survived.

She began thinking about the many times he had made her forget about how miserable she was. He did have some very effective ways of insuring she would focus on something else. But the times that made her really happy were when he would just hold her, and tell her it would all work out. She had always managed to believe him. Had it come from anyone else, she would have brushed it off. You see, Chuck and Blair's bond was never-ending, they were perfect for each-other because they knew one another so well. Chuck had once told her he knew her better than he knew himself. And he was absolutely right, she also felt that way. Like she could read him like an open book but had difficulties understanding herself sometimes.

Her thoughts had dragged onto Chuck while she was supposed to be thinking about her future. But wasn't that the problem? Trying to separate Chuck from her future? That wasn't happening, not now, and not ever. Chuck was her past, present and future. When she pictured her proposal, the man she saw kneeling before her with pleading eyes was Chuck. The man she would be staring at while she walked down the aisle on her father's arm was Chuck. Their babies would be Little Chucks and Mini Blairs, a perfect mix of both of them.

Right there and then, she knew.

She had no other choice, Chuck was the only choice. She knew no future was worth building without him by her side. It just wouldn't make any sense. She needed him in every way that he needed her. They were meant to be, they were the definition of soul mates. So, she decided she had to go to him.

Still clad in her red slip and Manolo pumps, she began descending the grand staircase. She knew Dorota would come to her and bring her her coat as she exited the Penthouse.

Once in her town car, she instructed her driver to bring her to the Empire Hotel. As the words left her mouth, she felt excitement coursing through her body. She felt happy, at peace with her decision. Nothing like what she had felt earlier when she told Chuck they couldn't be together.

As her mind thought about their last conversation, she could not believe what had happened. They had both admitted they still loved each other, after all that time of lying and torturing the other. And what happened next? a few well-chosen, humiliating words from Anne Archibald's judgemental mouth and that' it, that's the end of _ChuckAndBlair_?

She loved him, she loved him so, so much. They were each other's future. She knew she had been weak. She had been a coward. Maybe Gossip Girl had been right. But taking on both of the names the wicked blogger had given them was a bit much she thought. She would not let her win, not again.

She was going to fight for them. Chuck's words rang like bells in her ears. They would show the world Blair was a force to be reckoned with. And also, they would build their futures together. Chuck's power didn't take any of hers away. They had, after all, always been stronger as one. Why waste it on being separated?

Her thoughts were disrupted as the limo came to a halt, signalling her arrival at Chuck's hotel. _This is it_, she thought to herself, the moment of truth. She owed it to herself, but more importantly to him. What kind of life would they have if they were denied what would make them both so happy?

The driver opened her door, and as she strode towards the entrance of the Empire, the doorman followed the former's lead. She strolled through the hotel lobby and got in the elevator the Chuck's penthouse.

While the ride seemed too long to contain her excitement _and fear_, Blair felt like she could have used an extra few moments to gather her thoughts. She knew that was useless. One look from Chuck and she was done for.

The familiar ding signalling her arrival pulled her from her thoughts. _No backing down now, _she muttered.

As she strode towards the living room. She noticed Chuck sitting in the couch, nursing his tumbler of scotch. At the sound of her heels clicking on the ground, he slowly lifted his head.

"Blair" he breathed in his usual husky tone.

"Chuck, I …" She sniffled and then sobbed, to her own mortification, wanting to sound as confident as possible.

Chuck stood up and walked towards her, frowning in confusion. "Hey, what's wrong, are you okay?" He asked while gently rubbing the curve of her dainty hand.

"Chuck, I'm so sorry" she whispered in a shaky voice. "I can't do this, not without you. I don't want power, influence, or any of it without you by my side." She uttered quicker than she had meant to.

"But you were so sure. Only an hour ago it was what you wanted most in the world. Like I couldn't have said anything to stop you." He was pleading her to confirm what she had just confessed.

"No Chuck, none of that is worth it without you. You are what I want most, you are my future. I can't make myself happy without you to share it with. I want to be with you. Can't you see it, no matter how much we want to fight it, we can't. We are magnetic." A bittersweet smile underlined her pretty face, recalling the time he had used those words to convince her. "I love you Chuck. I love you so much, and as much as you have hurt me in the past, being without you is what causes me the most pain. You're it for me Chuck. You're the love of my life. There is only one you. Please." She was pleading now, she knew if he rejected her, it would destroy her.

"Blair, are you sure about this?" He choked out. She knew her speech had affected him. His shiny eyes being her first clue, but also the way he moved closer to her as her speech progressed.

"Careful Bass, we know what happens when you ask those three different words." She smirked devilishly. She stared deeply into his eyes. Intensity mirroring his own. Tears escaped her eyes, once again, as she moved closer to Chuck until she closed the distance between them.

"Mmmh. I love you Blair." Chuck mumbled against her lips between kisses. We they simultaneously pulled back for air, they were smiling at each other with such a pure shyness. Waiting for someone to make the first move.

"I love you Bass. Why don't I show you exactly how much?" He flashed her his signature smirk which she mirrored. They were both desperately craving to show each other just how much they loved and missed each other.


	2. Making it right

A/N: Thanks to my lovely readers, I have decided to make this a multi-chapter story. Second chapter is a bit of fluff. This is going to be about Chuck and Blair making things right for good. Hope you enjoy. R&R.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

The next morning, Chuck woke up to the feeling of silky curls and smooth warm skin. He knew that feeling like no other, it was Blair. He smiled at the memories of the previous night, it had been a classic Chuck-and-Blair reunion. When she had showed up at his penthouse, he didn't know what to think. _Should he dare hope for her to change her mind? Should he take advantage of the opportunity and plead her to give them a real shot, for good this time? _

Before he had a chance to voice anything, she had said the words he thought he would never hear from her again. She loved him and she wanted to be with him above anything else. The rest of the night had been all about them showing each other how much they loved each other and how much they needed each other.

As Blair started stirring; he just held her tighter and dropped a soft kiss on her cheek. It was a gesture he had only ever had with her, and probably the most innocent and intimate gesture he had ever had with her. It was his way of showing her how vulnerable she made him. He knew she was waking up when her mouth curved into a happy smile. "Good morning, Beautiful." Chuck loved his mornings with Blair, it was before she put on her mask for the rest of the world. "Bass, still ogling me in my sleep, you really haven't changed", indeed Blair really was in the most playful of moods when she woke up.

She raised her head up so her eyes where now staring into his own. "And you wouldn't want me any other way." He flashed her his signature smirk. Blair then captured his lips in a loving kiss. He loved her soft ruby lips. Blair then eyed him purposefully, that's when he knew.

"Blair, what's on your mind?" He inquired while running his fingers along her slender arms. "You know I love you, don't you?" her voice was low, unsure. Chuck nodded, "What's this about?" As Blair propped herself up into a sitting position, Chuck followed suit. "I really want us to work this time, for real. And remember junior year?" At that Chuck nodded, while a concerned frown was making it' way across his face. "Don't worry, I haven't changed my mind about us being together. I want that more than anything, I promise. But how about we keep us a secret?" Blair was smirking at him but Chuck was getting really nervous now. "Yeah, and look how well that worked out for us?"

Blair didn't miss the dripping sarcasm in his voice. "Chuck, this is totally different. We're only hiding from other people not from each other. Plus, sneaking around is kind of exciting, isn't it?" Chuck's face finally relaxed and he smirked at the thought of hiding his relationship with Blair from the world. "How about we start right now?" Blair giggled as Chuck started running hot, breathy kisses along her jawline.

They lay in each other's arms after descending from their high. They always cherished the moments after making love. "Bass, how are we ever going to make it out of this room?" Chuck could hear the happiness in her voice. His heartbeat sped up, know he was making her happy. It was all he had ever wanted. If losing her had brought him a world of pain, nothing could compare to her being with him and happy, just as happy as she made him. They were a perfect fit_, always had been, and always would be_. "Neither of us is going anywhere today my love" his low husky voice coupled with the soft nibble on her earlobe drew a soft moan from Blair's mouth. And just like that, she was once again under his spell. She knew all too well the power Chuck Bass held over her and had a sneaking feeling it would never go away. _Never_.

Blair sighed in happiness, causing Chuck to stare at her "What?" Blair tried fighting back a smile, unsuccessfully. "I just – I'm just so happy. You, Chuck Bass, make me so happy." There was no words he could think of to show her that he felt exactly the same. Instead, he kissed her. He was pretty sure that, had she been standing, she would not have been able to hold herself up. "I love you so much, Blair."

Chuck took a deep breath. As much as he had showed her the previous night how happy he was from her change of heart, he hadn't actually expressed it in so many words. He decided now was a good time. "You know, last night – after my party – I really wanted to respect your wish to stand on your own two feet. But, I couldn't shake the feeling you'd find someone during that time, and eventually forget about me, about us…" His voice was shaky, Blair grabbed his hand in reassurance "Chuck. You don't –"She was cut off by Chuck's insistent speech. "Blair, please let me finish. – I love you, and I want you to be happy. When you left the ball, I thought I had lost you, there was no way of knowing If and when you'd be ready for us. And then, last night when you came here, I didn't want to believe it. I actually thought you were a figment of my imagination, a dream. You're the love of my life, and I want this to work, more than anything, forever."

Chuck's brutal honesty brought tears to Blair's eyes. She knew they weren't free of their past issues, and it was really going to be hard. But one look into his eyes and that was it, they would get past all of it in the end. She remembered the promise she made him when he fled his father's funeral. She still meant it, she had never stopped meaning it.

Chuck was her one and only. Once they figured out how to work everything out, the rest would follow. They weren't ready for marriage but one day they would be. The day she married Chuck would not be about trying to hold on to one another, or proving a point. They had both thought about it at one point or another during their almost year-long relationship after graduation. When she thought about it all she saw pink peonies, purple, white, bowties and dresses, her Erickson Beamon necklace, mini-schemers…

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours? You were miles away there for a while" While she was lost in thoughts of weddings, futures and babies, Chuck had been watching how her features changed while she let her mind wander. "I – I was thinking about never wanting to lose this again, we can lose us, this" She made back and forth movements between them to emphasize her point. "Before we broke up last spring, things got bad. We have to set our priorities right. That's how I realized I was wrong pushing you away. I can't expect you to put me first if I'm putting my career first. That's why I came to you, I want us to work out. We both need to make sure of it. Because Chuck, I won't survive losing you again, my heart won't take it"

Chuck felt awful, he remembered how much he had neglected Blair when Elizabeth schemed her way into his life. He had pushed her so far away, and the further he pushed her, the harder she pushed back. He knew he had been wrong, having Blair by his side, being united was what truly made them stronger.

Chuck decided to put an end to her worried and insecurities. "Hey, I love you. I've made terrible mistakes with our relationship in the past. But that isn't going to happen anymore. Remember, our count, us – a million; the world – zero. It's us against the world. I'm done neglecting you, I hate that I ruined us even before I betrayed you. You will always be my number one priority from here on out, I promise." He then kissed her will all the passion he could muster, sealing his promise.

**A/N: OK so this was kind of a filler chapter before the drama unfolds. I thought Chuck and Blair needed to get proper reacquainted before they team up against Juliette Jenny and Vanessa. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how to play out the storylines to come, CB working out their issues, the Russell Thorpe storyline… I will take them into consideration. Please review!**


	3. Sticking together

**A/N: This is my take on the thanksgiving episode. I have made some alterations to it. DAIR scenes will be minimal if not inexistent. Also, Jenny's involvement might be slightly different – she at least has to go down for outing Chuck and Blair at the masquerade party. As for Juliette, I don't know how I'm going to change things; if I'm going to change the end of that Storyline, but she will be more severely punished. **

**A/N 2: Special thanks to CHAIRYTALELOVE9 who has been a great reviewer and giving me great ideas on my story!**

**DISCLAIMER: Even though I wish I owned Gossip Girl I don't. Sadly. If I did, Chuck and Blair would have been happy and married long before the series finale!**

The next day, was Thanksgiving. Blair had come home early that morning from Chuck's. And even though Blair had been invited to Lily's she couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to go, her father and Roman had invited her. It would be the easy way out, she wouldn't be forced to act like her relationship with Chuck was purely platonic and she would avoid any awkward encounters with Serena.

She was still upset with her best friend, at first she hadn't understood why she would expose Chuck and her. She thought back to the time in Paris when she found out Serena was going to Columbia; she wanted a chance to finally shine on her own, without Serena taking the spotlight from her. She wanted to think they could share it, without one of them pushing the other away to further their own agenda. After Juliette's attempt to ruin their friendship hadn't worked and they were in a good place. Especially after banishing Juliette from Columbia.

But they had had another fight at Chuck's party. Now Serena was refusing to come back to the penthouse and had exiled herself at Lily's. It's not like she was going to hide out there forever, she was going to come back at some point, wasn' decided to grab her father's pumpkin pie Dorota had baked, and bring it to Lily's as a piece offering.

She smiled at the thought of seeing Chuck, she was so happy to have him back in her life. She blushed at the memory of the day and night they had spent together. She knew they still had a lot of issues to work through, and it wasn't going to be easy. She could see Chuck's promises weren't empty, he had meant every word. She couldn't doubt it; she saw the look of sheer honesty his eyes had when he promised to make it up to her and it was anything but fake.

But she needed time, there was nothing she wanted more than to tell him she forgave him but she couldn't risk it. Not yet, she just couldn't bargain her heart anymore; there was too much at stake. Then again, wasn't there always when it came to Chuck Bass?

She decided she would give herself until she was at Lily's to call her father before taking him up on his offer.

The ride over to the Van Der Woodsen apartment was fast, it felt fairly routine-like for Blair. Growing up as Serena's best friend meant she was used to visiting the penthouse.

As he opened the door for her, Vanya welcomed her with a warm smile. Dorota was following closely behind while carrying Ana and the pumpkin pie she had prepared earlier that morning.

As she rode up the elevator, she felt the butterflies flutter in the pit of her stomach. They had been running crazy since she had reunited with Chuck, and knowing she was going to be near him again had her internally squealing like a little girl.

The night of her birthday, she had told her mother Chuck made her feel like a weak little girl. That was still true, but he also made her strong, confident and beautiful.

She smiled slightly thinking back at what her mother had told her; her weakness did, indeed, make her stronger.

The familiar chime of the elevator signalling her arrival interrupted her thoughts.

As she walked out, she noticed Chuck taking off his coat and handing it to Larissa; Lily's maid. He was as handsome as he had been when she left him several hours earlier, while more put together than he had been with his purple robe and dishevelled hair.

She decided to greet him, while keeping her excitement to a minimum. "Hi Chuck," He flashed her his signature smirk and kissed her cheek softly, "Blair,"

She honestly didn't know how to act with him in public. When they were alone, they could hardly keep their hands to themselves. Thankfully, the awkwardness was short-lived as Lily walked into the room.

"Blair, I wasn't expecting you here. Are you relaying a message from Serena?" Lily's surprised but polite expression didn't shock Blair, but her mention of Serena did.

"What are you talking about? I thought she was here. That's why I came, I haven't seen her since Chuck's party. We haven't really been speaking." Blair's voice was slightly shaky and Chuck could sense her worry, he has instinctively moved closer to her; only slightly so no one would notice.

"We thought she was at your penthouse." Lily's warm gaze had been replaced by worry. Erik was now standing behind her and joined the conversation, "Okay, now I'm really worried."

"Charles," Lily asked Chuck expectantly. He responded quickly, "She's not at the Empire".

"Where the hell is she then?" Lily asked the whole room.

After Chuck had contacted all the hospitals and located Serena, they took the limo to find her. They were now standing at the front desk in St. Margaret's emergency room, desperately seeking information from the nurses' station.

Chuck could see how desperate Blair was, she was fighting back tears but it was getting harder and harder for her to keep her cool composure. He took her hands while rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand in an effort to calm her. "Blair, I know you're worried, but I'm sure she's going to be fine." He was trying everything he could to calm her down.

"But, why didn't she come to me? I would have listened, she knows that." Her eyes welled up as a single tear escaped her eye. "Hey, listen to me. None of this is your fault. No one had any idea where she was. I'm sure she will explain everything as soon as she wakes up, okay?" Blair nodded reluctantly. Chuck was right, she shouldn't jump to conclusions. But the way Serena had alienated everyone with the whole debacle at Chuck's party worried her. She gave Chuck a small smile in an effort to reassure him, but Chuck anything but oblivious to the fact that it was fake. He knew her too well.

Erik was walking over to them, and Chuck knew he wanted to talk to Blair. She was Serena's sister in every way that mattered too. Chuck then offered, "Why don't I call one of my doctors, maybe they can give us more information."

Blair saw Erik arrive and nodded in appreciation. "Erik, how are you holding up?" Erik had always been the wisest of them all. Not to mention Blair's accomplice in keeping Serena out of trouble more than a few times. He had also been the strong one for them in the past. But Blair knew this was hard for him, and that he was just as worried as she was about Serena. If his suicide attempt after Serena fled to boarding school a few years prior was anything to go by, Blair knew he needed her now more than ever to take on the big-sister role the same way she had many other times when they were younger, and Serena was too busy being a wild child.

"I'm okay, you?" Blair nodded slightly, offering him a small smile. Erik mirrored her response. They both knew their reactions were fake, but needed to keep a strong front for each other.

A few moments of silence passed between them before Chuck returned followed by Lily, then Rufus and Dan.

"How is she?" Erik was the first to speak up. Blair then asked "when can we see her?" Chuck was instantly by her side, making sure she was okay. He knew she wasn't but he had a feeling talking to Erik had helped a little bit. Blair always felt better when she took care of people, it let her forget about her own. Even though in this case it was the same problem.

Noticing Lily struggle, Rufus decided to answer. "The doctors think Serena should get some help." Panic coursed through Blair's body at the realisation that she must have done this on purpose, and obviously Erik had the same reaction. "Do you think she did this on purpose?" he asked. Lily tried to reassure them, but she was struggling at keeping it together, so her attempt was ineffective. It was Blair's turn to speak up. "But you think she did?" Chuck saw how panicked she was and decided to intervene, but before he could say anything the doctor interrupted their conversation, turned to Lily and asked "Have you made a decision?"

Lily shut her eyes for a moment before responding. "Not yet."

"Well don't you think we should talk to Serena first, you're not going to lock her up against her will, are you?" Dan, who had made his presence unnoticed decided to intervene at that moment, being his usual judgemental and oblivious self. Dan hadn't know the pre-boarding school Serena, he hadn't grasped how bad things had been before she left New York four years ago. He thought Lily was being cruel even considering committing her.

The doctor, who was still standing next to them, added "We have grounds to sign off on an involuntary admission if you decide she needs help."

Dan's shocked face didn't escape anyone in the group. "You can't be serious. Admitting her against her will is wrong. It's not something you can take back. You can't do this to her!" Dan was continuing down the path he had started on, clearly not making any effort to comprehend the situation. It wasn't his fault, he'd never known the real Serena, but it wasn't as if the situation didn't suggest drastic actions had to be taken. And that's what Blair thought.

"She has acted out before, this is serious Humphrey. We can't just stand here and do nothing!" Blair was really scared that Serena had gone back to her old ways.

A nurse made her way over to the group to inform them that Serena had woken up.

Lily took a deep breath, looked at the doctor and spoke up "Ostroff center." When the doctor asked about involuntary hold, she nodded firmly.

Two hours later, Chuck and Blair were standing in the lobby of the Ostroff center. They still hadn't seen Serena, who had been brought to a private room. Erik and Lily were with her, helping her settle in. All they knew was that she was far from happy with the idea of being forced to stay in a facility because of drug abuse, which she was denying. But they agreed that until they knew what event had let to her being in this situation it was important that she stay there, where she was safe.

It was their first moment alone since the hospital. "Thanks for being here Chuck, even if it's not for me, I really appreciate it." She offered him a small but genuine smile. He had truly been her rock since they found out Serena had overdosed. He made every call that was need, did everything he could to ensure Blair didn't go out of her mind.

"You don't have to thank me, I'm glad you don't have to go through this alone, I know we're keeping _us _a secret but I'm happy get to spend time with you." Chuck was looking deep into her eyes, the overwhelming feeling of his love for her was what kept her together at times like this, times she thought she was going to fall apart.

"I just – I – I want her to be okay. I'm supposed to be her best friend and she didn't even feel she could come to me. After everything we've been through…" Blair trailed off. Chuck hated seen her this broken up; beating herself up over something that was completely out of her hands. She was always doing everything in her power to get all of them out of any twisted situation they might find themselves in. Chuck couldn't think of anything he could say to make her feel better at this point, so he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a warm hug.

He then heard heels clicking on the marble floor and looked ahead only to see a heap long bleach-blond hair. It was Jenny Humphrey. This was probably the last thing Blair needed, and Serena for that matter. But he couldn't hide this from her, she was going to find out at some point anyway. So he whispered into her curls. "Blair," and motioned to the girl walking across the lobby probably in search of Serena's private room. Blair's face went from upset to angry as she marched towards Jenny, while Chuck followed closely behind. He wanted to make sure no one got killed, and he was also curious as to why the blonde Humphrey was disrespecting the terms of her banishment.

"Little. Jenny. HUMPHREY. What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Blair clenched her fists, she couldn't believe that little bitch had returned. And what was she doing here? After everything she had done to Serena, to jeopardize her relationship with Nate the past year! Not to mention what she had done that awful. The thought of it still gave her chills. Chuck was trying his best, but it was hard for Blair erasing that dreadful memory. Jenny sent Blair a wary glance while she scanned the lobby in search of her father, no doubt.

"Blair, my dad called me here, that's the only reason I'm here." Jenny may have been queen of Constance the year before, but a face-off against Blair Waldorf was still a terrifying experience.

Blair scoffed, of course Rufus had called her. He was so blind when it came to Jenny. He often chose to believe she was nothing but a sweet lost little lamb. Well that couldn't have been further from the truth, and Blair was not the only one aware of that fact. "And why is that, because you were so worried about Serena, you couldn't bear to let her go through this without being by her side? Spare me little J. I don't know what you're playing at, but trust me when I say it's not going to work." Blair had no idea what was really going through Jenny's conniving mind, but she wasn't giving up until she figured it out.

They were cut off by Rufus who was followed by Vanessa, he had noticed Jenny had arrived. Spotting her with Blair and Chuck was a clear sign that he needed to come over to his daughter, to make sure the pair wasn't hassling her. "Jenny, here you are. Can I talk to you?" Rufus' usual fatherly tone was replace by a cold, almost annoyed one. Jenny simply nodded to her father and gave her Brooklynite friend an accusing look before following her father who had already started walking away from everyone.

Chuck and Blair simply stared Vanessa down. She rolled her eyes at them before leaving the pair alone. She obviously didn't want to spend any time with them, however short the encounter may be. They weren't going to object as they felt the same way. The exchange between the three had seemed odd, was there more to the situation than they thought? Chuck gave Blair a knowing look, she was thinking the same thing as him. "What's the plan, B?" He flashed her his signature devious smirk at the mention of her old nickname.

"What do you think Bass, you know the drill: dig some dirt, scheme, and total, social destruction." She gave him her best devilish smile with the familiar glint of deviousness in her eyes. "Come on, we've people to plot against." And like that, they exited the building and walked out to the limo.

When they were in the familiar sleek vehicle, Chuck dialled #3 on his speed-dial for Andrew Tyler his PI. (Blair was #1 and Nate was #2.) He usually called Mike, but this was family business, this was a situation that required special care.

He requested his PI to get his hands on anything regarding Vanessa Abrams, Jenny Humphrey and any interactions they may have had with Serena recently or not so recently.

However suspicious it looked that Jenny was at the Ostroff Center, Vanessa's presence was inexplicable. She hated Serena. And her relationship with Dan had been awkward for a while now.

The day had been rough, and it was far from over. Blair's thoughts drifted to that morning, when she had woken up once again in Chuck's arms. She really had no idea at that time what the day held. It was supposed to be her favourite day of the year, and it had turned into one of the worst in her life. Chuck noticed her mind had taken her miles away, and just cupped her cheek with his hand. "Hey Beautiful, are you ok?" A soft smile spread across Blair's face, she loved how considerate and gentle he was being with her and hoped it wouldn't stop like it had last year when their summer ended, along with their honeymoon phase. They had become so busy they had lost sight of what should have mattered most, them –together.

Blair looked deeply into his eyes, he didn't miss the sorrow in them. She took a deep breath, knowing she wasn't going to escape an explanation anytime soon.

"I just can't believe everything that's happened, I feel so drained. Emotionally drained. I wish we could go back to this morning, when I woke up next to you. Oblivious to the rest of the world." She smiled sadly at the memory, knowing Serena had been in a cheap motel room; overdosing on various types of drugs.

The sound of Blair's cell phone interrupted their conversation. She glanced at the caller ID which said "LILY", frowning in confusing she picked up the phone.

"Lily! Is everything okay?" Blair's voice was laced with panic. _"Blair, it's about Serena. Daniel was in the room with her, and when we returned they were both gone. I think they're planning on running away. Can you meet me at the loft, we have to stop them."_

"Oh my god! Of course Lily, I'll be there as fast as I can." Blair hung up, and turned to Chuck with wide eyes, before instructing Arthur to take them to the Humphrey's loft in Brooklyn. She then told Chuck what Lily had told her. He wasn't all that surprised. The guy had made it clear: he was against committing Serena from the beginning. This was the perfect opportunity for him to swoop in and act like Serena's hero.

It was fifteen minutes later, and Blair met Lily at the door of the loft. She and Chuck had agreed she should go alone, as they were still keeping their relationship a secret. If there hadn't been the Serena-on-drugs crisis, people would have noticed; they were too busy to pay attention to such details anyway.

As Blair and Lily were about to open the door, someone on the other side opened it instead. They were faced with Dan and Serena. Lily had suspected her step-son was involved. He had been against making her go to the Ostroff Center from the beginning, but as Lily pointed out at the hospital, this was not his call.

Meanwhile, Chuck was sitting in his Limo, riding back to the Empire. He had decided to return to his suite and arranged to meet Blair later that evening. They were going to set the plan in motion, but for that they needed his P.I to get back to him. He had insisted on the urgency of this particular case and was confident his trusted investigator would deliver information soon. He had been barely sat down on his deep orange couch that the front desk called up to let him know that Andrew Tyler was waiting in the lobby and wanted to come up. He confirmed access to the front desk and moments later, the elevator chimed, indicated Tyler's arrival.

"Andrew, thanks for coming so soon. I trust this means you have some answers." He didn't mean it as a question at all, he knew his P.I would never make a house call if a) he hadn't gathered valuable Intel and b) if said Intel could be discussed on the phone.

Indeed the man worked fast. "Chuck, I couldn't tell you this on the phone. You're going to want to see this with your own eyes."

The P.I. handed over the file. Chuck's eyes widened in shock as he flipped through the numerous photos and papers. This could mean one thing, and one thing only.

He thanked his P.I. quickly. The man whose profession demanded discretion took it as his cue to leave.

Chuck reach into his pocket for his phone, this time dialling #1, for Blair.

At the loft, Blair was talking to Serena. She was trying to make her understand that everything that was happening was for her own good. But her best friend was being her usual stubborn self and refusing to admit what had happened. Their phones both rang at the same time, signalling an incoming text message. It was gossip girl; who else. The evil blogger was report Serena's trip to rehab, along with a picture showing Serena all drugged up in a bar. The two best friends looked at each other, both shocked. Serena then got up, making her way to the kitchen; it was time to face her mother.

"Mom, I'm so sorry" it was all she could say. Lily frowned in confusion; she hadn't read the blast, so Dan gave her his phone. Lily just looked at Serena; her face hard. "Take me back to Ostroff." Serena's voice was small, laced with shame.

Blair had left Serena in Lily and Dan's care and called her driver to pick her up. She had planned to meet Chuck to plot against "Team Brooklyn". She sat back into the seat of the car and admired the lights. Her day had been exhausting. All she need right now was a relaxing evening with Chuck. Maybe they could plot later.

She heard her phone ring in her pocket, "perfect" she thought gleefully as she noticed the caller ID "CHUCK".

She answered the call almost instantly. "Hi, I'm on my way," Her tone was more relaxed than it had been earlier. He usually would have thought that was a good thing, but he didn't really enjoy playing yoyo with her emotions.

"Great, because I've something you need to see. Andrew delivered some pretty incriminating material just now." She noticed the strain in his voice. That was never a good sign when it came to Chuck.

"Okay, well I'm pulling in right in front of your hotel now. See you in a minute." She hung up and hurried out of the car, not waiting for the driver to help her out. Giving a quick nod to the doorman, she scurried across the lobby and into the private elevator for the ride up to Chuck's penthouse suite.

She was fidgeting like mad on the way up. _What have Chuck's P.I discovered?_ She thought to herself. She wasn't able to finish that thought as the elevator dinged in signal of arrival.

"Chuck! What's going on? What did Andrew find out?" Blair had never been patient, especially when it came to her loved ones. He couldn't find words to describe what he had uncovered; instead he handed the folder to her.

She shuffled through it nervously, discovering what Chuck had gone through countless times.

There were pictures of Juliette entering her "real" apartment, and some of a tall, bleach-blond girl wearing dark shades with an olive-skinned, frizzy-dark haired girl who entered the same building. He knew who they were: Jenny Humphrey and Vanessa Abrams. The file also had another valuable piece of information: shopping receipts. Both for Carolina Herrera; identical dresses were purchased along with masks. She knew that dress, she had seen in on the runway, but that wasn't what struck her. It was the dress Serena had chosen. And Serena had insisted she hadn't gained access to the party before the curtain had been pulled; revealing Chuck and Blair together at the ball. It would explain why Nate and Dan were both kissed by their blond dream-girl.

It wasn't Serena, she had been set up!

Blair's jaw dropped and the file hit the floor, and three single words escaped her mouth. "Oh my god."

TBC…

A/N: Okay! I have to admit I originally wanted to follow the show's SL. But I don't want my story to be a replica of S4 so this is where my alterations led me! What do you think? Please leave a review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, and any ideas you may have!


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